Shikoku Preservation: Do your part to help!

edited February 2012 in Shikoku Ken (四国犬)
Hello all,

I am contacting you today in regards to the Shikoku Ken breed and its status in Japan. Due to the lack of local interest in the breed within its home country, breeders aren’t encouraged to breed, which in turn risks the loss of genetic diversity in the breed. Surprisingly enough, there are approximately 10 Shikoku Ken puppies available at this time, a rare amount for a rare breed. With so many available, why not take advantage of it and ensure that at least 2 of these puppies are imported into the US.

I come to you today to request your assistance in making the importation of 2 puppies possible. With your contribution, these puppies can be brought to the US and not only help the genetic diversity locally, but also help show the Japanese breeders that there is still interest in the breed. With this, more litters will become available in Japan for future importation. Japanese breeders will become more comfortable with sending puppies out to other countries, not just to the US.

When the pups are brought over, they will be temporarily housed and evaluated to ensure that there is a match between them and their new home. The puppies will be unrelated and both female, coat color to be determined. If you would like to be considered as a new home for one of these puppies, please contact me privately for further details.

The goal amount is $6000 to get these two puppies to the US. This may sound like a significant amount, but if we all pitch in, we will hit that goal in no time. To contribute, you can send your paypal payment to: young_serenity@yahoo.com If you have a verified Paypal account, the Paypal fees can be waived if you transfer the money directly from your bank account instead of through a credit or debit card.

Feel free to spread the word about this effort to help preserve the Shikoku Ken. Updates of the progress will be shared when applicable, and I hope to get out pictures of the puppies once they are in the US. Any extra amount collected will go towards the future importation of puppies through the North American Shikoku Club. If you have any additional questions, don’t be afraid to ask.

Thank you,
Beth Bennett
Shikoku Ken owner and enthusiast


ETA: There have been some questions as to why the goal amount is that amount. For an idea of the cost breakdown, please check out this thread:
http://www.nihonken.org/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/5541/exporting-dogs-from-japan/#Item_18
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